Thermoplastic mixture of butadiene-acrylonitrile rubber, styrene-acrylonitrile resin and vinyl chloride resin



Feb. 9, 1960 L. E. DALY 2,924,545

THERMOPLASTIC MIXTURE oF BUTADIENE-ACRY ITRILE RUBBER, STYRENE-ACRYLONITRILE RES AND VINYL. CHL DE.' R N Filed June 195 INVENToR.

AW/Pf/Vf 0,40

ATTORNEY THERMOPLASTIC MIXTURE F BUTADlENE-AC- RYLUNITRILE RUBBER, STYRENE-ACRYLO- RESIN AND VINYL CHLORIDE RESIN Application June 2z, 1955, serial No. 517,191

6 claims. (ci. 154-43) This invention relates to hard, tough, thermoplastic compositions of matter. More particularly, the invention relates to an improvement in hard, tough, thermoplastic mixtures of butadiene-acrylonitrile rubbery copolymers and resinous copolymers of a styrene and acrylonitrile, such as are described in by U.S. Patent 2,439,202 and in U.S. Patent to Romeyn et al. 2,600,024.

Hard, tough, thermoplastic blends of rubbery copolymers of butadiene and acrylonitrile and resinous copolymers of a styrene selected from the group consisting of styrene, alpha-methyl styrene, para-methyl styrene, alphamethyl para-methyl styrene, or a nuclearly chlorinated styrene have achieved great commercial importance. However, their resistance to flex fatigue cracking has not been desirably high in certainapplications, such as automotive applications, wherein the parts made from such blends have been subjected to repeated flexing in serivce. Resistance to flex fatigue is also important in installations of plastic pipe made from such blends in industrial plants Where the vibrations set up by machines cause the pipe to vibrate and ex under normal service conditions.

The resistance of parts made from such blends to ex fatigue cracking is further reduced by embossing a surface of a sheet-like continuous form of the blend, for example, to impart thereto a leather-like surface grain. In automotive applications in particular, it is highly desirable that the parts molded from the blends be so embossed on the surface exposed to view in order to have an enhanced appearance. r

The inclusion of a substantial amount of color pigment in such blends further lowers the resistance thereof to flex fatigue cracking. The combination of both color pigmentsand embossed leather surface grain, which is an especially desirable combination, produces an especially low resistance to flex fatigue cracking. e e y The principal object of the present invention is to elect a commercially important increase in the resistance to flex fatigue cracking of blends of butadiene-acrylonitrile rubbery copolymers and styrene-acrylonitrile` resins ofthe type mentioned above. Another object is to improve the flex fatigue cracking resistance of such blends which have a continuous sheet-like form, whether llat or drawn, and which have either a smooth surface or an embossed surface such as the aforemetioned leather-like grain. Another object is to greatly improve the resistance to flex fatigue cracking of such blends which contain a substantial proportion of color pigment, Whether such pigmented blends are embossed or not. Another object is to effect an important increase in impact resistance at the same rtime that the resistance to llex fatigue cracking is improved. Numerous other objects will more fully hereinafter appear.

The accompanying drawing, which will .be self-explanatory in the light of the following description, is a triangular phase diagram in which the compositions of my invention are indicated by the ve-sided area at the lower left.

I have discoveredI that the resistance to flex fatigue ice cracking of hard, tough, thermoplastic mixtures of butadiene-acrylonitrile rubbery copolymers and styreneacrylonitrile resinous copolymers of the type described in U.S. Patents 2,439,202 and. 2,600,024, which are hereby expressly incorporated herein by reference, can be achieved by the inclusion of a selected proportion of a thermoplastic vinyl chloride resinous polymer in the mixture. For example, the inclusion of from4 4 to 15% of polyvinyl chloride', based upon the sum of the rubbery copolymer, resinous copolymer and polyvinyl chloride, gives a product having more than twice the resistance to ilex fatigue cracking possessedfby a standard 30/70 blend of the rubbery copolymer and the resinous copolymer alone. At the same time a substantial improvement in notched impact resistance is achieved. Y, v

More particularly, my invention resides in the discovery that outstanding flex fatigue characteristics, coupled with substantially enhanced impact resistance, are obtained by blending in any suitable manner (A) a rubbery copolymerofv butadiene and acrylonitrile, (B) a resinous copolymer of a majjor proportion of a styrene selected from the group consisting of styrene, alpha-methyl styrene, para-methyl styrene, alpha-methyl para-methyl styrene and nuclearly chlorinated styrenes, and a minor proportion of acrylonitrile, and (C) a vinyl chloride resinous polymer selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl chloride and copolymers of a major'proportion of vinyl chloride withk a minor proportion of another copolymerizable monomer, in relative proportions of from 10 to 40% of (A), from 50 to 88% of (B), and from 2 to 30% of (C), these percentages being by weight based on the sum of these three ingredients and totalling this mixture being formed into a uniform continuous article lin any suitable manner, e.g. by compression or injection molding, by extrusion, or by calendering and sheeting in the manner described in U.S. Patent 2,439,202. The sheet can be embossed in any suitable manner or can be used Without embossing. It can be drawn into three-dimensional articles by the well-known techniques.

Minor proportions of other ingredients, especially color pigments in amount preferably equal to at least 10 parts v per 100 parts of the foregoing three ingredients, antioxidants for the rubberyicomponent,` stabilizers for the vinyl resin, etc. can be included in the mixture. Aside from minor proportions of pigments, anti-oxidants and stabilizers, by products usually consist essentially of the butadiene-acrylonitrile rubbery copolymer, the styreneacrylonitrile resinous copolymer and the vinyl chloride resinous polymer in the aforementioned proportions, These three materials usually constitute the sole binding materials present.

An important feature of my mixtures is that they are substantially, and preferably completely, free from liquid plasticizers or softeners for the rubber or the resinous components of my blends. The use of such plasticizers would be objectionablev because they would result in serious impairment in heat distortion temperature, in tensile strength, in hardness and in other physical properties.

The mixture of the rubbery copolymer, the styreneacrylonitrile resinous copolymer and the vinyl chioride resin can be prepared in any suitable way, e.g. by blending latices ,or aqueous dispersions or slurries of these three components, co-precipitating the solids from the resulting blend, washing and drying. Or the mixture can 4As will be obvious to those skilled in the art, so-called latex blending of the three principal materials of my blend can be eiected by commingling water-based latices, suspensions or slurries Vof the threemain components followed by coagulation or spray-drying of the resulting mixture. Since the rubbery copolymer is commonly made by Yemulsion polymerization, the resulting latex can be commingled with a latex of the styrene-acrylonitrile resinous copolymer -which is often made by emulsion polymerization. A latex or aqueous suspension or slurry of the vinyl chloride resin can be commingled with the latices of the rubbery copolymer and the styreneacrylonitrile resin. .f

Regardless of the form in which the three principal components of my mixture are employed, it is essential that they be consolidated into continuous form in any suitable way, this almost invariably beingaccomplished by mastication at va suitably elevated temperature lto eiect coalescenceV into a uniform homogeneous mixture followed by shaping which can be done Vby moldingAY o'r extrusion or by sheeting out followed by plying up and drawing.l Y

If desired, a small amount of monomeric styrene, say 1 yto 5 parts based on 100 parts Vof Buna N rubber, styreneacrylonitrile resin, and vinyl chloride resin, can be ineluded in the mixture o'f powdered resins and rubber to act as a transient lubricant and processing aid. .This gives the stock additional smoothness during processing and is volatized at the processing temperatures. Its use does not materially affect the physical properties of the Vfinal product.

Within the ranges given above, I especially prefer those c ompositions which co'ntain from 2 to 20% ofthe vinyl chloride resin ingredient.

A new result achieved by my invention is that the blends made in accordance therewith have markedly greater resistance to flex fatigue failure than either a comparative blend of the rubbery and resinous copolymers alone or the vinyl chloride resin alone.

v Any of the commercial fo'rms of butadiene-acrylonitrile rubbery copolymers can be used in practicing my invention. With regard to this component, the disclosures of the aforementioned U.S. Patents 2,439,202 and 2,600,024 are applicable. The rubbery copolymer will usually have .a combined acrylonitrile content of fro'm 15 to 45% by weight. Although my invention is applicable with ungelled butadiene-acrylonitrile rubbery copolymer, I much prefer to employ copolymers which have had imparted thereto a methyl ethylketone-insoluble gel content of Vfro'm 40 to 100% by weight, this gel being tight gel,

i.e., having a swelling index of fromA 8 to 35 in methyl ,ethyl ketone and being incapable of conversion to a soluble state by milling. Such gel content is preferably imparted to the rubbery copolymer by cross-linking with divinylbenzene during emulsion polymerization, for example in the 'manner shown in U.S. Patent 2,597,951 to Romeyn et al. I prefer that the gelled copolymer have by itself and in the unvulcanized state a Mooney l viscosity at 212 F. of from 40 to 80.

The high tight gel butadiene-acrylonitrile rubbery copolymer used in the examples given below was made by emulsion polymerization from the following recipe:

Parts i This recipe was polymerized'for 19 hours at 122 The divinylbenzene was: added during polymerization in accordance with Romeyn etV al.Y U.S. 2,597,951. After polymerization the emulsion was short-stopped with 0.2

part of dimethyl ammonium dimethyl dithiocarbamate and the polymer was recovered in the usual manner.

The styrene-acrylonitrile -resinous copolymer component of my blends is alsoa well-known material. Again, reference is directed to the aforementioned Patents 2,439,202 and 2,600,024 for a full disclosure as to the preparation'and nature of this material. Typically it will contain from 70 to 80% by Weight of combined styrene (vinylbenzene). and correspondingly from 30 to'20% of acrylonitrile and will have an intrinsic viscosity of fro'm 1 to 2. Insteadof being made with styrene itself, it can be made with alpha-methyl styrene, para-methyl styrene, alpha-methyl para-methyl styrene, 2-chloro styrene, 4-chloro styrene or 2,4-dichloro styrene. Usually it will contain from 50 to 85 %Y by weight of combined styrene or equivalent thereof and correspondingly from 50 to- 15% by weight of acrylonitrile.

'I'he styrene-acrylonitrile resinous copolymer used in the examples was made by emulsion polymerization from the following recipe:

This recipe was polymerized at 140 F. for 4-6 hours after which the polymer was recovered `in the usual Way.

The vinyl chloride resinous polymer likewise is a wellknown material. As already indicated, it may be either polyvinyl chloride or a resinous copolymer of a major proportion of vinyl chloride and a minor proportion of a copolymerizable monomer. Examples are copolymers of to 96% of vinyl chloride and correspondingly 15 to' 4% of vinyl acetate, vinylidene chloride, diethyl maleate, etc. The vinyl chloride polymer is thermoplastic and is typically made by emulsion or suspension polymerization.

Instead of using the vinyl chloride resin by itself, l can use it in the form of a mixture with a minor proportion of one or both of the othermain components of my mixture. Such mixtures are commercially available. O ne example of such a mixture is a blend of vinyl chlorlde resin with a minor proportion of a styrene-acrylonitrile resinous copolymer as shown in U.S.' Patent 2,646,417 to Jennings. Another example is a-blend of the vinyl chloproportions of three main components of my ,mixtures are within-the ranges specified herein. -A

The following examples illustrate my mventlonm more detail.

'machine testing one dat strip at a time by subjecting one Vface to intermittent tension and the other face to mter- The vapparatus used in obtaining the ex fatigue resistance data given in the tables below was a single action mittent compression only. In all cases, the specimens were l" x 8,x 70 gauge. The specimen undergoingY test is rigidly clamped so as to project at right angles to the support and is bent from rest to a de ectionof 2 inches at a point`21/z inches from the rigid support at the rate of 216 times per minute. This deection is effected by pushing the specimen from the right angle position with a reciprocated member which is not clamped to the speci- `men. `After each deflection the specimen is allowed to 'return asnearly as it willl to the initial right angle posif tion by following the reciprocating member in its return stroke. The apparatus as described serves very nicely to indicatethe-mode of failure as oneiaceofeach test sample is subjected to tensional distortion only and the opposite face to compressional distortion exclusively.

The samples invariably fail in tension at a point 1A; inch out from the rigid mounting clamp, this being the point at which most of the bending of the samples takes place. I believe that the ex fatigue data obtained with this apparatus correlate closely with actual service test observations made on commercial applications of prodpcts made `from the material of my invention, for example, automotive side seat trim panels. I also believe that the ilex fatigue data reported in the tables correlates with respectively, of the aforementioned Geon 4041-11. Stocks C to G were prepared by mill blending the separately prepared powdered components as in preparing stock A.

data obtained in tests wherein the samples are subjected Stock H consisted of 100 parts of Geon 404HI. The to reverse stresses. dataV are given'in Table I.

TABLE I [All test specimens were 70 gauge and smooth surfaced] Stock A (Blend) B C D E F G H High Tight Gel Buna N 30 30 28. 5 27 25. 5 22. 5 15 styrene-Acrylonitrile (70/30) Resinous Copolymer 70 70 66. 5 63- 59. 5 52. 5 35 Geori` 404HI" (92% POlyvinyl Chloride, 8% Styrene-Acrylonitrllc Resin) 5 10 Number of Flex Cycles to Break. 16, 200 29, 160 28, 080 50, 976

12. 5 8. 5 15. 2 16. 1 3. 1 8. 0 2.2 3. 0 s, 78 76 78 Tensile Strength, p.s.i 3,800 2, 400 3,600 3,800 Elongation, percent. 66 110 120 Heat Distortion Temp., F.,` 264 p.s.L 170 160 170 165 In Experiments B, J and Q, a small amount of monomeric styrene was included in the original mixture of a transient processing aid. It has no appreciable eiect on the physical properties of the product.

In the examples and throughout this specification and claims all Vproportions and percentages are by weight.

EXPERIMENTS A TO P The data in Table I illustrates the improvement obtained in flex fatigue resistance, notched impact resistance and the elongation values of stocks C, D, G and F which contained between 2 and 30% of polyvinyl chloride incorporated with the same ingredients as were used in control stock A.

` Table II reports data obtained on stocks I, J, K, L and M, which were identical with stocks A, B, E, F and G of Table I, respectively, except that they were embossed with a leather grain during manufacture. For comparison, the ilex fatigue values yfor the corresponding unembossed stocks are enumerated. The marked impairment resulting from embossing will be readily seen by comparing the ex fatigue figures. Stocks K and L, which embodied my invention, even when embossed, had very good resistr ance to ex fatigue.

TABLE II [All test specimens for first line of data were gauge embossed with a leather grain] I I K L M Stock Same as Same as Same as Same as Same as Stock A Stock B Stock E Stock F Stock G above above above above above but embut embut embut embut embossed bossed bossed bossed bossed Flex Fatigue, cycles to break, with embossed 9, 720 16, 516 No break at No break at 12, 096

leather grain. 38,880. 83,160. Flex Fatigue, cycles to break same material with 16, 200 29, 133, 920 137, 600 38,880

no grain (data for unembossed specimens, taken from Table I, included for purposes oi comparison).

Various materials, as indicated in Table I, were milled Table III illustrates the elect on ex fatigue resistance together to homogeneity, calendered into thin sheets, ,and` 70 of compositions having not only an embossed surface but these sheets plied up under heat and pressure to forml test la smooth surface on each side. The resulting specimens were then tested with the results shown in Table I.

also containing color pigment. The pigment used was Titanox A (titanium dioxide). These dataare im:- portant because they demonstrate the properties of stocks used in fabrication of commercial automotive parts.

Stock A v'was a standard blend of a high tight gel Bona 75 From the data given in Table III it is evident that the in- ".7 clusion of color pigment further reduces the ex resistance figures below those obtained with an embossed grain but no color.

' TABLE III The following stocks were then prepared and converted into unembossed sheets .which were tested. The data are given in Table V.

[All test specimens were 70 gauge] Stock N O P Same as Stock Same as Stock Same as Stock A above but E above but F above butH with parts with 15 parts with 15 parte of color plgof color pigof color igment and emment and emment an embossed J; bossed bossed With color and embossed grain. Flex 8,424 25,482 25,050

Fatigue, cycles to break. f Flex Fatigue to break, with embossed 9, 720 N o break ai; No break at grain but no color. 83,160. Flex Fatigue to break,-wlth no embosse 16,200 133,920 `No break at ing and no color. 137,000.

y EXPERIMENT Q p f In this experiment a mill blend of 85 parts of the latex blend of stock B and 15 parts of Geon 404HI was prepared and formed into sheets in the same way as before. Embossed andunembossed specimens were tested. The data on the resulting product (stock Q) are given in Table IV; the corresponding data for stocks B and I are included for comparison. f

It will be seen that stock Q (which contained 60.7% of the styrene-acrylonitrile resin, 25.5% of the high gel Buna N and 13.8% of polyvinyl chloride) when smooth had a considerably improved iex fatigue resistance. When embossed, the material with the addedA vinyl resin showed a definite drop in fatigue resistance. I believe that this is because the depth of embossing of stock Q was deiinitely greater than in the case of stock J. It is well known that the surface condition of a-specimen subjected to flexing affects its stress resistance very markedly. Thus, steel bars of identical composition, onel having a 'highly polished scratch-free surface and the other having a dull roughened surface, will give vastly diierent flex fatigue resistance values, the rough bar failing long before the polished bar. ,y

EXPERIMENT R Stock F was fabricated vinto an embossed automobile side seat trim panel by conventional sheeting and drawing techniques. This panel was installed in an automobile and tested under actual conditions of service. After prolonged use, it was inspected and found to be in excellent condition.

EXPERIMENTS AA TO EE ,I Masferbfch No.. 2

A Parts Polyvinyl chloride (Marvinol VR-10,1) 92 Styrene-acryloutfle resinous copolymer (as in preceding examples) l r 8 11=o1yvmy1 chloride.

TABLE v Stock AA BB CC DD EE Masterbatch #1 850 850 750 950 850 Masterbatch #2 150 250 50 Vinylite VYNW 1 150 Marvin/o1 VR-lO 150 Percent Bunn N 25. 5 25. 5 22. 5 28. 5 25.5 Percent ST-AN Resin 60. 7 59. 5 54. 5 66. 9 59.5 Percent Vinyl Resin 13. 8 15.0 23. 0 4.6 15.0 Flex Fatigue 62, 654 103, 313 42, 986 26, 332 59,188 a0 Tensile v 4, 0 4, 250 4, 820 4, 120 3, 940 Elongation, percent 130 122 108 126 lResinous copolymer of approximately 96% vinyl chloride and 4% y vinyl acetate.

stock AA BB oo DD) En Elongation Range 33-125 113-144 81-137 l 53-91 109-143 RJT. Charpy Impact 15.0 7.4 12.2 16.1 8.9 Rockwell R Hardness 83 80 92 79 83 Y Heat Distortion Temp., 40 oF 159 167 162 175 164 From the foregoing description, it will be seen that our invention provides a simple and commercially feasible means of accomplishing the objects set forth above.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. As a new composition of matter, a hard, tough, thermoplastic mixture of (A) a rubbery copolymer consisting of to 85% of butadiene and correspondingly 45 to 15% acrylonitrile, (B) a resinous copolymer consisting of 50 to'85%' of 'a styrene selected from the group consisting of styrene, alpha-methyl styrene, para-methyl styrene, alpha-methyl para-methyl styrene and nuclearly chlorinated styrenes, and correspondingly 50 to 15% of acrylonitrile, and (C) a thermoplastic resin selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl chloride and copolymers of 85 to 96% of vinyl chloride and correspondingly 15 to 4% of a copolymerizable monomer selected from the group consisting of vinyl acetate, vinylidine chloride and ,diethyl maleate, in relative proportions of from 10 to 40% of (A), from 50 to 88% of (B), and from 2 to 30% of (C), said percentages being by weight based onthe sum of (A), (B) and (C) and totalling 100%, said mixture being essentially free from liquid plasticizer.

2. A composition of matter as recited in claim 1 in sheet-like continuous form and having an embossed surface.

, 3. A composition of matter as recited in claim 1 in vsheet-like continuous form, containing at least 10 parts by weight of pigment per 100 parts of (A), V(B) and (C), and having an embossed surface.

- "4. As `."newioimposition of matter, a hard, tough,

thermoplastic mixture of (A) a rubbery copolymer consisting of 55 to 85% of butadiene and correspondingly 4S to 15% acrylonitrile, (B) a resinous copolymer consisting of 70 to 80% of styrene and correspondingly 30 to 20% of acrylonitrile, and (C) a thermoplastic resin selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl chloride and copolymers of 85 to 96% of vinyl chloride and 15 to 4% of a copolymerizable monomer Selected from the group Iconsisting of vinyl acetate, vinylidine chloride and diethyl maleate, in relative proportions of from 10 to 40% of (A), from 50 to 88% of (B), and from 2 to 30% of (C), said percentages being by weight based on the sum of (A), (B) and (C) and totalling 100%, said mixture being essentially free from liquid plasticizer.

5. A composition of matter as recited in claim 4 in heet-like continuous form and having an embossed surace.

6. A composition of matter as recited in claim 4 in sheet-like continuous form, containing at least 10 parts by weight of pigment per 100 quarts of (A), (B) and (C), and having an embossed surface.

References Cited in the fileof this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,439,202 Daly Apr. 6, 1948 2,652,384 Sayko et al. Sept. 15, 1953 2,802,809 Hayes Aug. 13, 1957 2,807,603 Parks et al. Sept. 24, 1957 2,825,661 Dosmann Mar. 4, 1958 OTHER REFERENCES Kenney: Integrating Plastic and Rubber Industries,

Modern Plastics, September 1946, page 106.

Rubber-Resin Blends," Rubber Age, volume 74, No. 4, January 1954, pages 552 to 553. 

1. AS A NEW COMPOSITION OF MATTER, A HARD, TOUGH, THERMOPLASTIC MIXTURE OF (A) A RUBBER COPOLYMER CONSISTING OF 55 TO 85% OF BUTADIENE AND CORRESPONDINGLY 45 TO 15% ACRYLONITRILE, (B) A RESINOUS COPOLYMER CONSISTING OF 50 TO 85% OF A STYRENE SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF STYRENE, ALPHA-METHYL STYRENE, PARA-METHYL STYRENE, ALPHA-METHYL STYRENE AND NUCLEARLY CHLORINATED STYRENES, AND CORRESPONDINGLY 50 TO 15% OF ACRYLONITRILE, AND (C) A THERMOPLASTIC RESIN SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF POLYVINYL CHLORIDE AND COPOLYMERS OF 85 TO 96% OF VINYL CHLORIDE AND CORRESPONDINGLY 15 TO 4% OF A COPOLYMERIZABLE MONOMER SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF VINYL ACETATE, VINYLIDINE CHLORIDE AND DIETHYL MALEATE, IN RELATIVE PROPORTIONS OF FROM 10 TO 40% OF (A), FROM 50 TO 88% OF (B), AND FROM 2 TO 30% OF (C), SAID PERCENTAGES BEING BY WEIGHT BASED ON THE SUM OF (A), (B) AND (C) AND TOTALLING 100%, SAID MIXTURE BEING ESSENTIALLY FREE FROM LIQUID PLASTICIZER. 